


The Court of Crows

by AutumnLeavesCoffeeDreams



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Gen, King Kageyama Tobio, King Oikawa Tooru, Mention of Shiratorizawa - Freeform, Oikawa's pride should be its own character, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 06:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19145524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnLeavesCoffeeDreams/pseuds/AutumnLeavesCoffeeDreams
Summary: The last of their kind were supposed to have died off in exile, at least according to legend.King Toru realizes should've taken his "bedtime stories" more seriously.





	The Court of Crows

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot I did for the Haikyuu!! Amino for the Libero Local. I'm not sure if I want to expand on this idea or not, but I'm pretty happy with what I wrote!

          Every culture will develop its own folklore and fantasy over time, and the prosperous kingdom of Seijoh was no exception. Tales of humans who could turn into creatures had been passed down from generation to generation, though actual encounters with these shapeshifters were few and far between. More often than not, these stories were told by parents to ward children off from wandering into the woods at night or to set them straight if they were causing trouble.

            Tōru Oikawa was quite familiar of the tales, having grown up listening to them nearly every night before falling asleep. His nanny had been an intelligent older woman, but her beliefs were deeply rooted in superstition. As a child, he found her stories of shapeshifters and half-beings rather dull and pointless.

            “Why does a prince even need to know this stuff anyway?” Ten-year-old Oikawa had complained one evening as he was tucked into bed. “Fairy tales doesn’t teach me anything about being a king!”

            His nanny had given him a stern look and replied, “A good king should know the folklore of his kingdom as much of it stems from truth.”

            That night, she proceeded to tell him a new story: men who could turn into crows.

            They were the rarest form of shapeshifter as no one had ever seen one transform in person. According to lore, the court of the crow-men – possessing invaluable wisdom and insight – used to rule over the very land Seijoh was built upon. Their reign had been peaceful and just, that is until an ancestor of the Oikawa family set out on a worldwide conquest. His army bested the crow-men, thus forcing the shapeshifters to retreat in exile or be killed. It was believed the last of these fabled crow-men had died centuries ago and became extinct.

            Or so King Tōru thought.

            “It seems our appearance comes as a surprise to you, Your Highness.”

            Standing before him, in the middle of the throne room, were the supposedly “extinct” crow-men. Their very presence commanded the respect of everyone in the room; nobles, guards, and servants alike had immediately lapsed into silence as they watched the newcomers address their king. Garments of black and orange offered a stark contrast to the pristine white walls of the Oikawa palace.

            Atop the throne, the king readjusted his posture and forced his lips to twist into a cocky smirk, attempting to appear unintimidated by the shapeshifters. “Well the rumors of your kind’s extinction were quite convincing. Can you really blame me?”

            “You are familiar with our people then?” asked an athletic-looking young man, Daichi Sawamura, who stood at the head of the group. Judging from the dignity and power he exuded, Oikawa surmised that he was one of their leaders.

            “I know who you are, yes.”

            “Then you know why we’re here.”

            Out of the corner of his eye Oikawa could sense his bodyguard and childhood friend, Iwaizumi, slowly reaching for the hilt of his sword. His own body tensed, yet he still maintained his egotistical demeanor. His subjects needed to be reassured that they would be safe; seeing their king threatened in his own court would surely make them uneasy.

            “You wish to have your land back,” Oikawa stated, waving his hand nonchalantly. “So do many other people whom my ancestors have conquered over the last several centuries.”

            “It’s not wise to underestimate us, Your Majesty,” added the silver-haired man standing beside Sawamura. His voice was soft but the words were spoken with severity. “We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

            “It’s not a matter of underestimating an opponent,” Oikawa finally snapped. “Think about where you are standing; you’re in _my_ throne room which resides in _my_ castle in the kingdom of Seijoh… _my_ country. It is my sworn duty as the Grand King to do whatever it takes to lead my subjects and help them prosper without fear of war or persecution. Do you think I will allow you to waltz in here and threaten our way of life? The country of Shiratorizawa has already made preparations to conquer us; you are not of my concern.”

            A lull swept through the throne room. Oikawa glanced over at Iwaizumi who said nothing, merely nodding once to show his support.

            “We should be.”

            A boy, obviously a few years younger than Sawamura, slowly stepped forward. His deep blue eyes gazed up at the king in defiance, cold and unyielding. The regality of his presence was enough to make Oikawa internally recoil.

            Already knowing the answer, Oikawa asked in a haughty manner, “And who are you supposed to be?”

            “He’s _our_ king!” piped up a red-haired pipsqueak of a boy, stepping forward to glare at him. “Kageyama, King of the Crows!”

            “You say we’re not your concern,” Kageyama spoke, his tone unwavering. “We should be. The very fact we are standing here before you and your court, no longer hiding in the shadows, is proof. I was told from a young age that us crows once ruled the country before we were conquered. I was also told that it would be impossible to regain our former status as rightful rulers… that we were a fallen race.

            “My captain, Sawamura, convinced me that we still have a chance to rise again, and since I am destined to be king it is _my_ sworn duty to return our people to their former glory. We don’t wish to conquer your people, only to take back what is justly ours.”

            The room once again settled into uncomfortable silence. Oikawa could see his subjects growing restless at the young king’s warning. Already they were beginning to doubt the Grand King’s ability to reign, this he knew. Oikawa began to feel like his iron grip on his kingdom was being chipped away. Studying his nation’s history, attending tedious meetings with nobles and advisors, planning strategies for battles that may or may not occur, listening to his subjects’ woes… all of his hard work to keep the country thriving would be for nothing. If he did nothing, his reign would weaken and the orderly realm of Seijoh would dissolve into chaos.

            He’d be damned if he was going to let that happen.

            “If you want your land back so badly, come and take it,” Oikawa countered derisively. “You were defeated by the Oikawa line once before, and we know history tends to repeat itself. Your people, the legendary crow-men, will remain a fallen race.”

            The silver-haired man spoke again, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Take care that your pride does not cloud your judgement.”

            “My _pride_ is something you would do well to remember, Shapeshifter,” seethed Oikawa, rising from his throne to stand at full height. “I do not take kindly to threats, especially in the presence of my subjects. I suggest you depart my palace at once or you will be removed by force.”

            Kageyama’s hands balled into fists, opening his mouth to argue with the stubborn monarch, but a hand on his shoulder caused him to cease. “He will not negotiate, Kageyama,” warned Sawamura. “There is nothing you can say to change his mind, but there is something we can _do_.”

            Kageyama huffed, but nodded reluctantly. Sawamura give him a reassuring smile before facing Oikawa and his subjects. “Thank you for granting us an audience, Your Highness. We will now take our leave.”

            As they turned to file out of the throne room, Kageyama stopped. With a threatening glance over his shoulder, he vowed with chilling resonance…

 

**“We will see you on the battlefield.”**


End file.
